Flipping Deck Tutorial

When learning to skateboard, the first trick you'll need to master is the Ollie. Jumping off the ground without the board leaving your feet is the foundation of all other tricks. After that, you'll want to move onto the the two basic flips, the kickflip and the heelflip. These are essentially variations on the same movement, only with the board rotating in different directions. A kickflip rises on the toe side, a heelflip on the heel side.

Instructions

    • 1

      Crouch down with your foot on the very tip of the tail. It's important the ball of your foot, through which you drive most of the pressure, is perfectly central on the board. If its off to one side or another, the board will spin laterally, instead of horizontally.

    • 2

      Place your front foot across the board at 90 degrees, about one inch behind the truck bolts. Bend your knees and crouch down low, just as you would before performing a regular jump, or Ollie.

    • 3

      Jump off your back foot, smacking the tail of the board against the ground, the board will spring up vertically. Drag the side of your foot up the board, just as you would when performing an Ollie. But when your foot reaches the point where the nose starts to rise, you add an extra flick in order to initiate the spin.

    • 4

      Flick your toe diagonally across the nose, and off the heel side of the board in order to perform a kickflip. For a heelflip, use the side of your sole, where your pinky toe meets the rest of your foot. Flick that off the toe side of the board. In both cases, you need to immediately tuck your back foot tightly under yourself, as if you were squatting.

    • 5

      Look down between your knees at the spinning board. As soon as you see the black of your grip tape, extend both feet downward, catching the board over the truck bolts. Extend your legs to about 75 percent, so your knees are still bent when the wheels touch down. Absorb the impact and roll away.